UFC Fight Night 104 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into UFC 208
UFC Fight Night 104 is complete. The results are as follows:
Main Card
- Chan Sung Jung def. Dennis Bermudez, knockout (Round 1, 2:49)
- Felice Herrig def. Alexa Grasso, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- James Vick def. Abel Trujillo, submission (Round 3, 0:49)
- Volkan Oezdemir def. Ovince Saint Preux, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Marcel Fortuna def. Anthony Hamilton, knockout (Round 1, 3:10)
- Jessica Andrade def. Angela Hill, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
FS1 Prelims
- Curtis Blaydes def. Adam Milstead, TKO (Round 2, 0:59)
- Chas Skelly def. Chris Gruetzemacher, submission (Round 2, 2:01)
- Ricardo Ramos def. Michinori Tanaka, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
- Tecia Torres def. Bec Rawlings, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Fight Pass Prelims
- Niko Price def. Alex Morono, knockout (Round 2, 5:00)
- Khalil Rountree def. Daniel Jolly, knockout (Round 1, 0:52)
Next up? UFC 208.
The UFC is headed back to pay-per-view with a card that is strangely big on talent but small on interesting fights.
Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie will face off in the card's main event for the inaugural UFC women's featherweight title, and they have plenty of backup in Anderson Silva, Ronaldo Souza, Glover Teixeira and Dustin Poirier.
Unfortunately, a lack of logical opponents for each has resulted in a generally disappointing card. That aside, what are the topics worth discussing over the next week? Read on to find out.
What Tragedy Will Befall Ian McCall This Time?
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The Fight: Ian McCall vs. Jarred Brooks
The Real Fight: Ian McCall vs. Lemony Snicket
The Stakes
Ian McCall has hovered near title contention at 125 pounds for years now. He hasn't gained or lost ground since 2015, however, due to the simple fact that he hasn't been able to have a fight.
Injuries and illnesses affecting both himself and his opponents have seen him shelved for over two years now. With his return just a few days away, it's not a question of whether he can finally get back into the cage; it's whether the fight will actually happen this time.
Analysis
Here's a list of fights that have fallen through for McCall since his 2015 bout with John Lineker (which was also repeatedly delayed):
- Dustin Ortiz, Fight Night 73
- Justin Scoggins, UFC 201
- Ray Borg, UFC 203
- Neil Seery, Fight Night 99
- Neil Seery, UFC 208
It's an unfortunate trend, but at this point, McCall will likely just be satisfied with getting into the cage.
With Seery on the shelf, his opportunity comes against Jarred Brooks, a legitimate prospect with a 12-0 record who has been built at the expense of solid competition in smaller promotions across the world. He's an interesting talent and a tough draw.
It's tough to predict what the 32-year-old has left in him, but if he comes back strong, there's a chance he gets right back in line for a title shot.
Does Glover Teixeira Still Have It?
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The Fight: Glover Teixeira vs. Jared Cannonier
The Real Fight: Glover Teixeira vs. His First Non-Contender Opponent Since 2013
The Stakes
Glover Teixeira suffered a devastating loss to Anthony Johnson at UFC 202, and that has left him in an awkward place in the division.
Despite being a staple of the top-10 rankings for over four years, he finds himself in a dangerous matchup with the unknown Jared Cannonier, who threatens to lock him out of contention permanently.
Analysis
Teixeira has gotten progressively better over the years, but his career prospects have slowly but surely dipped ever since his loss to Jon Jones in 2014. Now 37 years old, he has precious few fights left and little time to try to get himself back into the title hunt.
That makes this fight with Cannonier a high-risk, low-reward affair. Cannonier went 1-1 as a heavyweight but picked up a strong win over Ion Cutelaba in his light heavyweight debut, demonstrating solid cardio and physicality to go along with his finishing skills.
Teixeira has little to gain in victory other than a win bonus, but he will get sent tumbling down the rankings with a loss. With that in mind, it's easy to wonder...
Is the UFC Actively Jobbing Out Aging Fighters?
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The Fight: Anderson Silva vs. Derek Brunson
The Real Fight: Anderson Silva vs. Age
The Stakes
Anderson Silva is 0-4 (1) in his last five. He hasn't officially won a fight since knocking out Stephan Bonnar in 2012. He's 41 years old and 42 fights deep into his career. Time has taken an undeniable toll on Silva, and it's easy to wonder if this fight with Derek Brunson is Silva's "Old Yeller" moment.
Analysis
Many are expecting pro wrestling legend The Undertaker to retire after WrestleMania 33. WWE, however, isn't likely to give him one final feel-good moment at The Show of Shows. The Deadman is likely going to catch a beating from Roman Reigns, the man the company wants to be its next top star, in a performance that will help establish the younger wrestler as the "next in line" to his legacy.
For a long while, the UFC didn't use that approach. When a legendary fighter's career was winding down, he would move further and further down the ladder, usually culminating in a sad loss to a fellow throwback. Last month's BJ Penn vs. Yair Rodriguez fight seemingly marked the beginning of a new era of talent relations, though, which looks to take a more traditional but infinitely crueler approach to aging stars.
Even in his heyday, a heavy-handed wrestler would've given Silva fits, and Brunson fits the bill. Silva is crafty enough that this isn't a sure thing, and his losses to this point haven't been the sort of hard-to-watch affairs that fellow legends like Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes endured.
Still, it's hard not to look at this as a "take him out behind the barn" kind of matchup.
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Who Is Coming and Who Is Going in the Main Event?
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The Fight: Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie
The Real Fight: Holly Holm, Germaine de Randamie vs. Uncertainty
The Stakes
UFC 208 main eventers Germaine de Randamie and Holly Holm are formidable fighters, but neither fits the bill as a conventional title contender. There is a great deal of uncertainty over the careers of both women.
Analysis
Entering this title bout, Holm is riding a two-fight losing streak. De Randamie, meanwhile, is 3-1 in the UFC, but the women she has beaten have a combined 0-6 record in the Octagon, and the one loss on her record came from bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes via TKO.
Again, both fighters are talented and own some of the best striking skills in women's MMA. Neither, however, is a "sure thing" at this point. Where are their talent ceilings? Are they still on the rise? Are they still on-point from a physical standpoint?
It's impossible to say at the moment. And that's weird for a UFC title fight.
When Will Cris Cyborg Be Back?
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The Fight: Holly Holm vs. Germaine De Randamie
The Real Fight: Holly Holm vs. Not Cris Cyborg
The Stakes
Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie is an interesting fight, but the UFC isn't even pretending that it was Plan A for the women's featherweight division. No, UFC 208 was supposed to be the Cris Cyborg show, but with the undisputed pound-for-pound best in women's MMA shelved due to a flagged drug test, it's unclear what the future holds for the division.
Analysis
There was a point when UFC President Dana White threw legitimate temper tantrums at the mere mention of Cyborg, but as the UFC became desperate for stars, and Ronda Rousey's shelf life became shorter, the company became willing to bring her into the fold. Naturally, as soon as it committed to bringing her in, an out-of-competition drug test was flagged for a substance yet to be officially named.
Yes, there is some schadenfreude to be had there.
There's no question that both Cyborg and the UFC would prefer a quick turnaround, but the USADA has historically reserved its merciful judgments for top-end pay-per-view draws like Jon Jones and Brock Lesnar while bringing the hammer down on everyone else. Cyborg, despite having a great deal of marketing potential, is in the latter category at this time.
If the USADA defaults to its usual judgments, Cyborg could be looking at a two-year ban. If that happens, it's a brutal blow to Cyborg, the UFC and the division that will remain in her shadow.
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